CNO Roundtable 2026
Q3. What is the current state of nurse burnout? What can be done?
WELL-BEING
Karen Grimley • UCLA Health
Patients are sicker, the pace is unrelenting, and the slow points that once allowed nurses to recover have all but disappeared. The strategies that matter most now are removing distractions, creating space for nurses to share what they need, and acknowledging the emotional weight nurses are carrying.
Derrek Hidalgo • California Rehabilitation Institute
While stress and burnout remain ongoing challenges, we are focused on supporting our nurses in the ways we can, such as uninterrupted breaks. At the same time, we recognize that lasting improvement will also require broader reforms beyond the workplace.
Leila Ibushi-Thompson • Adventist Health White Memorial
Burnout is improving, but nurses still carry the emotional weight of the last several years. What’s working is strengthening shared governance so nurses have a voice in practice decisions, along with meaningful recognition and flexible scheduling where possible.
Mark Mitchelson • Adventist Health Simi Valley
Burnout can’t be solved with wellness programs alone, although they are helpful. The most meaningful improvements have come from operational changes, like flexible scheduling and reducing non-value-added work. When nurses see that leadership listens, stress decreases.
Jinhee Nguyen • Huntington Health
Nurse burnout is a system-level issue stemming from structural challenges. Our approach focuses on organizational solutions: identifying barriers and ensuring our systems work for the people doing the work. Burnout improves when operations run smoothly and staff feel valued.
Jaime Reiter • USC Care Medical Group
Burnout is a predictable response to prolonged stress in flawed systems. Anecdotally, I have seen burnout worsen since 2019, both in staff nurses and nurse leaders. We can help by redesigning workflow, investing in leadership development, and building psychological safety.
Helen Staples-Evans • Loma Linda University Health
We’ve seen increased resilience and better job satisfaction thanks to our “Care for the Caregiver” peer support initiative, which offers our nurses significant emotional support. Our goal is to have two to four trained peer supporters per department on each shift.
Joyce Volsch • Redlands Community Hospital
I’m seeing burnout trend higher in leadership and management roles. Many leadership roles require long hours, broad responsibilities, and limited resources, which can make them less financially competitive. One strategy that’s helped is more flexibility in management scheduling.
Lesley Wininger • Glendale Memorial Hospital
Stress and burnout levels have unfortunately worsened. We’ve implemented several strategies, including open communication and meaningful recognition. We have also cultivated a culture of support, promoted self-scheduling, and encouraged use of our employee assistance programs. ■
View this article in the May 2026 Flip Mag.
In this Article: Leadership and Management, Stress and Burnout
